Penstemon plant named &#39;Cha Cha Lavender&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Penstemon  plant characterized by medium size lavender purple flowers in dense clusters, long bloom time, a compact, upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown from the base, clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage, and excellent vigor.

BOTANICAL DENOMINATION

Penstemon hybrid

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Cha Cha Lavender’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPenstemon, given the name, ‘Cha Cha Lavender’. Penstemon is in thefamily Scrophulariaceae. This plant originated a controlled breedingplan to create a compact, upright, medium size, multiflowered series.The exact parents are unknown, unnamed proprietary plants. This cultivarwas selected for its compact growing habit, medium size flowers in denseclusters, long flowering time, vigor, and clean attractive look. It isan ideal plant for a sunny border in full sun.

Compared to Penstemon ‘Blueberry Taffy’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,568, thenew cultivar has smaller more numerous flowers and a white eye with beetracks versus no eye.

Penstemon ‘Cha Cha Lavender’ is uniquely distinguished by its:

1. medium size lavender purple flowers in dense clusters,

2. long bloom time,

3. compact, upright, well branched habit, with multiple crown from thebase,

4. clean-looking, deep green, attractive foliage, and

5. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby,Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions cometrue to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary withvariations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of the new cultivar in the trial field in fullbloom in mid July in Canby, Oreg. FIG. 1 shows an accurate colorrepresentation of the plant.

FIG. 2 shows the habit of the new cultivar on the same plants in thetrial bed. The photo was taken early morning and is not an accuratecolor representation.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Penstemon cultivarbased on observations of 10 month-old specimens grown outside in onegallon containers in full sun in Canby, Oreg. in October. The colordescriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—herbaceous perennial.        -   Form.—upright, branching.        -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 7-10.        -   Size.—grows to 40 cm wide and 68 cm high.        -   Vigor.—excellent.        -   Stem number.—about 12 main stems from the crown.        -   Stem.—upright, grows to 49 cm long and 4 mm wide (at the            base), glabrous at base to glandular pubescent toward            peduncle, internodes grow to 3.5 cm long, Yellow Green 146C            where shaded and tinted Red Purple 59B where in sun.        -   Rooting.—roots easily from stem cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—simple.        -   Arrangement.—opposite.        -   Shape.—lanceolate.        -   Venation.—pinnate, main vein on top and bottom side Yellow            Green 146C.        -   Margins.—serrulate.        -   Apex.—acuminate.        -   Base.—attenuate.        -   Blade size.—grows to 9 cm long and 1.3 cm wide.        -   Surface texture.—glabrous on both sides.        -   Leaf color.—topside Green 137A, bottom side closest to            Yellow Green 146A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—terminal, many flowered, dense thyrse.        -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—about 30.        -   Size of inflorescence.—grows to 18 cm long and 8 cm wide.        -   Peduncle.—grows to 6 cm long and 2.5 mm wide, pubescent,            Yellow Green 146C where shaded and tinted Red Purple 59B            where in sun.        -   Pedicel.—grows to 6 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent, Yellow            Green 146C in shade and lightly tinted Red Purple 59B where            in sun.        -   Bloom period.—mid June to frost in October in Canby, Oreg.            if spent flowers are removed.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2.5 cm long and 10 mm wide.        -   Description.—closed tubular, bulging, flattened ventrically.        -   Color.—Purple N79C with tip N79A and bottom side blending to            White NN155B.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—zygomorphic, perfect.        -   Shape.—tubular, bilabiate.        -   Size.—grows to 3.3 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.        -   Corolla description.—grows to 3 cm long and 2.5 cm wide;            tube is bulbous in the calyx for 3 mm long and 5 mm wide,            narrowing then widening for 20 mm and flaring to 25 mm wide,            5 lobes, the two smaller top lobes flare back (each 6 mm            wide and to 10 mm deep) and two larger lateral lobes flare            out (10 mm wide and 10 mm deep), and the lower lobe flares            down (10 mm wide and 13 mm deep), lobe margins slightly            jagged, tips acute; outside glandular pubescent, inside            sparsely pubescent; outside color Violet 83B blending to            White NN155B on bottom side, inside color lobes Violet 83C            with 83B on edges to eye, White NN155B, with bee tracks            Purple N79B.        -   Calyx description.—9 mm deep and 6 mm wide, 5 overlapping            lobes cut to the base, each lobe broadly ovate in shape, 7            mm deep and 5 mm wide, margins variable (entire, notched and            frilled), tip acuminate, base cuneate, outside Yellow Green            146C in shade and lightly tinted Red Purple 59B where in            sun, inside Yellow Green 146C, glabrous inside and glandular            pubescent outside.        -   Pistil description.—1, 32 mm long, ovary 5 mm long and 2.5            mm wide, Yellow Green 146D; style 27 mm long and less than 1            mm wide, stigma and style White NN155C.        -   Stamen description.—5, one sterile without an anther, held            within the corolla 22 mm long, filaments 20 to 24 mm long            and White NN155C, anthers 2 mm long, Greyed Purple N187A,            pollen White NN155C.        -   Fragrance.—none.        -   Lastingness.—a flower lasts 5 to 6 days.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—capsule.        -   Fertility.—good.        -   Size.—7 mm deep and 1 mm wide.        -   Color.—Brown N199C.-   Seed:    -   -   Shape.—irregular.        -   Size.—2 mm long.        -   Color.—Brown 200A.-   Pests and diseases: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No    known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found    in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Penslemon plant substantiallyas shown and described.